Screed Panels Using Fiber Reinforced concrete

ABSTRACT

A construction panel for use with fiber reinforced concrete finish is disclosed. The panel includes a core member comprising a composite of wire trusses and foam blocks secured in a compressed shape. The core member also incorporates wire mesh strips having screed ridges for receiving and smoothing fiber reinforced concrete applied to the composite.

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. Ser. No.10/696,583, filed Oct. 30, 2003, which is a non-provisional of U.S. Ser.No. 60/422,089 filed on Oct. 30, 2002.

I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to construction materials. More particularly,this invention relates to wire mesh panel screeds, screed panel systemsand novel methods of constructing panels using fiber reinforced concretefor use in construction.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Screed systems are known in the art. For example, in a traditionalmethod of plastering a wall product, ceiling, or floor, without theplacing of tiles on the wall product thereafter, wooden float strips areused to guide a straight edge across an area forming the wall productbeing plastered, while raking off excess mud, etc. left in theapplication of the mud. The float strips, or “screeds” are tapped intothe prepared or wet mud, such as mortar, cement, or other suitablematerials, with a separate level held against one or more of them toobtain a horizontal, vertical, or other orientation or plum. The floatstrips, straight edge, and the board carrying the mud itself, areusually wet before use so that they will not draw moisture out of theprepared mud. It is plumbed as much as possible, for the purpose ofkeeping the finished wall product or ceiling surfaces as straight aspossible, however, a true planar wall surface is not generated with thetraditional tools, and much is left up to the individual craftsman ornovice.

As will be appreciated, the difficulties with prior art screed systemsare particularly acute with respect to preparing walls, such asfoundation walls for buildings. In many prior art techniques, acraftsman looking to plaster a wall would have to prepare initial mudcolumns by hand on the wall. These columns would be erected foraccepting a screed which would be used to allow the wall to be filledand cut to a uniform depth. However, mud columns crafted by hand werenever truly uniform and difficult and time consuming to construct. Otherartisans have tried to overcome these difficulties by fabricatingpre-formed screeds for attachment to building materials, therebyby-passing the need for hand made screed columns. However, these priorart methods still suffered from the drawbacks that they were laborintensive and had to be preformed on site. For example, the screedscould not be put into place until the building materials were in placeand ready for finishing.

The foregoing underscores some of the problems associated withconventional building and finishing techniques and devices. Furthermore,the foregoing highlights the long-felt, yet unresolved need in the artfor a screed system which allows for building materials, such as wallsor wall panels or roof or floor panels, to be prefabricated and preparedfor immediate finishing.

In Applicant's co-pending application, U.S. Ser. No. 10/696,583, filedOct. 30, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety, there is disclosed novel construction panels comprising wiremesh members having built-in screeds that sandwich a middle member ofbuilding materials. The built-in screeds serve as visual and mechanicalscreeds for cutting and finishing materials deposited onto the outsidefaces of the panels. As disclosed in Applicant's co-pending application,the wire mesh members are designed to receive concrete, shotcrete, orthe like in an amount sufficient to provide structural rigidity andstrength to the panel member. To achieve this end, the panels include ascreed ridge that extends about ½ inch or so from the rest of the meshwhich is also spaced about ½ inch from the middle member. Thus, as willbe appreciated, when cut using the screed, one inch of material coversthe middle member with a metal skeletal matrix imbedded therein suchthat the material will harden when dry to form a strong wall that cansupport the weights normally encountered in construction applications.

Recently, fiber reinforced concrete materials have been developed whichpurport to do away with the need of rebar or other metal skeletalmaterials to aid the strength of the concrete. One such example of afiber reinforced concrete is Helix™ manufactured by Polytorx LLC of AnnArbor, Mich. Helix™ is described as being toothpick sized, coatedmetallic wire which has been twisted so it locks like a screw and whenmixed into concrete forms a matrix of strength, durability and crackresistance that nothing else can provide. Applicant has determined thatreinforced concrete materials may be suitable for use with the novelbuilt-in screed panels described in its co-pending application and maybe used with less or no wire mesh material.

III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention makes use of fiber reinforced concrete or the likewhich do not require rebar or metal skeletal materials for strength inbuilt-in screed panels. One object of the invention is to provide abuilding panel ready for attachment and finishing. According to thisobject of the invention, one aspect of the invention is to provide aconstruction panel comprising a core member comprised of polystyreneblocks and trusses clipped together and having a screed integraltherewith.

An advantage of the invention lies in that the panels require little ofno wire mesh sandwiching the core member. Another advantage of theinvention lies in that a screed member or members may be attached to oneor both sides of the core member to serve as a visual and mechanicalbuilt-in screed. According to another aspect of the invention, the coremember may include a plurality of mesh strips having screed ridgesattached thereto for providing a suitable screed means for cutting andfinishing reinforced concrete applied to the core member.

According to another object of the invention, the middle membercomprises a sandwich of wire trusses and polystyrene blocks held incompression using clips. In accordance with this object of theinvention, the wire trusses and polystyrene materials are compressed bycompression means, such as a jig, and secured in the compressed state byclips welded to adjacent trusses in a number and manner sufficient tohold the core member as a compressed panel.

Another object of the invention is to provide methods of making theaforementioned construction panels and methods for finishing theaforementioned panels.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel methods ofinstalling the aforementioned construction panels and joining the panelsto other panels or other construction components.

The invention as described and claimed herein should become evident to aperson of ordinary skill in the art given the following enablingdescription and drawings. The aspects and features of the inventionbelieved to be novel and other elements characteristic of the inventionare set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The drawingsare for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale unlessotherwise indicated. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope ofthe invention. The following enabling disclosure is directed to one ofordinary skill in the art and presupposes that those aspects of theinvention within the ability of the ordinarily skilled artisan areunderstood and appreciated.

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical orfunctionally similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fiber reinforcedconcrete panel member according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a close-up perspective view of a portion of the top of thepanel of FIG. 1 indicated by the circle A where a pair of wire meshstrips are attached.

FIG. 3 is a close-up perspective view of a portion of the front of themiddle of the panel of FIG. 1 indicated by the circle B where a metalclip is included to hold a pair of trusses in compression.

While the invention will be described and disclosed in connection withcertain preferred embodiments and procedures, it is not intended tolimit the invention to those specific embodiments and procedures. Ratherit is intended to cover all such alternative embodiments andmodifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

V. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Generally, the present invention relates to novel screed devices andmethods, and in particular the use of built-in or integral screeds withfiber reinforced concrete applications. While the present invention isdescribed in connection with a construction panel having wire meshstrips with screed ridges, it will be readily appreciated by one ofordinary skill in the art that the teachings of the present inventioncan be applied to a variety of construction needs in a variety offields. In addition, while the present invention will be described inconnection with prefabricated panels constructed according to theteaching herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate thatthe novel tools and methods described herein can be applied to a varietyof construction needs in a variety of fields. For example, the panels ofthe present invention could be used in form and pour applications, suchas setting up steel forms for a basement wall then dropping the panelsinside the steel form.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is a construction panel forbuilding a load bearing wall of a building. In its simplest form, asdepicted in FIG. 1, construction panel 10 according to the inventioncomprises a rectangular core member 100. The core member 100 maycomprise any suitable material for the intended use of the panel 10. Forexample, in some embodiments the core member 100 comprises of aplurality of metal trusses 101 separated by intervening polystyreneblocks 111. In a presently preferred embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, coremember 100 comprises a composite of nine wire trusses 101 and eightelongated blocks of polystyrene 111. The trusses 101 are common wiretrusses which include top and bottom stay wires 102, 103 held parallelto one another by a zig-zag central wire 104 welded to one of therespective stay wires at each crest and valley intersection point 105.

The core member composite is compressed prior to being secured in itspanel form. Although any suitable means for compressing the compositemay be utilized, it is presently preferred to utilize the novel methodsand tools for compressing the composite described in Applicant'sco-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 10/696,583, filed Oct. 30, 2003.

In contrast to Applicant's co-pending application wherein the corecomposite is sandwiched and secured between two sheets of wire mesh viahog rings on the trusses, the panel 10 of the present invention utilizesa plurality of clips or braces 120 to secure the core member 100 in itscompressed panel form. While it is well within the skill of the ordinaryartisan to devise suitable clips or braces for holding the composite, apresently preferred embodiment utilizes wire braces 120 that are securedbetween two trusses 101. In particular, according to a presentlypreferred embodiment, 6 inch long braces of 3/16 inch diameter wirehaving a ¾ inch leg on each end is used. As best shown in FIG. 3, thisconfiguration allows for the leg 121 on each end to be used such thatthe brace 120 can be secured between two trusses 101, attached every 16inches, in a location where the zig-zag wire 104 of a truss 101 iswelded to the top and bottom stay wires 102, 103 of the truss 101.

While it is possible to use the leading edge of the truss as a screedfor cutting fiber reinforced concrete or other material deposited on thecore 100, a presently preferred embodiment contemplates use of wire meshstrips 150. Wire mesh strips 150 are preferably used because the leadingedges of the trusses may not be straight enough to allow proper cuttingand smoothing of the concrete or other finishing material. As depictedin FIGS. 1 and 3, wire mesh strips 150 of about 6 inches in length areused. Preferably, a strip of mesh 120 is used every 36 inches off-enterto provide the advantageous features of the built-in screeds asdescribed in co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 10/696,583. To thisend, the wire mesh strips 150 also include a screed ridge 151 definedtherein. The screed ridge 151 is preferably defined in the mesh strip120 as a V-shaped impression with an outwardly extending apex akin tothat described in Applicant's co-pending application. As best shown inFIG. 2, the wire mesh strips 150 are preferably disposed on both sidesof the core member 100 to allow for receipt and cutting of fiberreinforced concrete or the like. The wire mesh strips 150 are alsopreferably secured to the core 100 by welding each outer edge wire tothe adjacent stay wire of the trusses on the left and right edges of thestrip. However, any suitable means for securing the wire mesh strips 150to the core 100 should be deemed within the scope of the invention.

According to this embodiment of the invention, the wire mesh strips 150may be of any suitable wire mesh or like material. Typically, wire meshis manufactured as a grid of vertical and horizontal welded wirestrands, such as a 4 foot by 8 foot piece of 1″×1″ wire mesh. Accordingto a presently preferred embodiment, the wire mesh strips comprise a1″×1″ 9-guage welded wire mesh configured into 6 inch strips having acentral screed ridge formed therein and including an 11-guage screedwire at the apex of the screed ridge. This configuration is particularlypreferred when 9-guage wire trusses are used. However, it should beunderstood that other configurations are possible, for example, in analternate embodiment the wire mesh strip comprises a 14-gauge galvanized1″×1″ wire mesh with a welded 9-gauge wire as the lead wire at the apexof each screed ridge.

As alluded to above, the panels using wire mesh strips having screedridges or panels using the leading edge of the trusses as screeds may beused in conjunction with a fiber reinforced concrete or like materialthat does not require rebar or other metal skeletal substructure toensure adequate strength to support the weights and environments thepanel is expected to encounter. A presently preferred material for usewith the present invention is HeliX™ manufactured by Polytorx LLC of AnnArbor, Mich.

Neither the distance between the screed ridges nor the number of screedridges is critical to the invention and all such variations should bedeemed to be within the scope of the invention. However, it is preferredin this embodiment to provide two screed ridges at no more than 40inches apart, such as when a 6 inch strip of mesh is incorporated intoan 8 foot panel ever 36 inches off center.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the materials ofconstruction for each of the component parts may be varied to takeadvantage of certain properties or to fit an intended use.

Additionally, as will be appreciated, the exact configuration and heightof the screed ridges is not critical and can be varied according theskill of one in the art to suit the intended purpose of the panel andthe depth of finishing materials to be applied. Presently preferredheights for the ridges are about that of the depth of the finishingmaterial that is to be applied to the wire mesh or panel.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations andmodifications of the above-described preferred embodiments can beconfigured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced other than as specificallydescribed herein.

1. A construction panel comprising: a core member comprising a sandwichof trusses and foam blocks, at least two wire mesh strips secured to anoutside face of said core member leading, said wire mesh strips beingsecured to said outside face by attachment to leading wires of trussesadjacent left and right edges of said mesh strips, and wherein said wiremesh strips include an outwardly extending ridge that serves as a screedfor finishing materials applied to said core.
 2. The construction panelof claim 1, wherein said panel has fiber reinforced concrete applied toat least its outer face to a depth equivalent to a height of said screedridge.
 3. The construction panel of claim 1, further comprising aplurality of braces securing two trusses of said core member together tohold foam disposed between said trusses in a compressed condition. 4.The construction panel of claim 3, wherein said braces comprise lengthof wire including a leg portion on each end, wherein said leg portionsare welded to said trusses in areas where a zig-zag wire of said tressesintersects a bottom or top stay wire of said trusses.
 5. Theconstruction panel of claim 4, wherein a brace is located every 16inches.
 6. The construction panel of claim 5, wherein said bracescomprise 3/16 inch metal wire.
 7. The construction panel of claim 1,wherein said wire mesh strips comprise 1″ by 1″ 9-guage welded wiremesh.
 8. The construction panel of claim 7, wherein said wire meshstrips include an 11-guage screed wire at the apex of said screedridges.
 9. The construction panel of claim 8, wherein said trussescomprise 9-guage trusses having top and bottom stay wires secured to azig-zag central wire at points where said zig-zag wire intersects withsaid top and bottom stay wires.
 10. The construction panel of claim 9,wherein said core comprises nine trusses and eight polystyrene blocks.